


when i see you smile, i can face the world

by thesilverwitch (orphan_account)



Category: Marvel
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Bullying, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-28
Updated: 2012-04-28
Packaged: 2017-11-04 11:40:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 920
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/393434
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/thesilverwitch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Later – much, much later – Clint will be eternally grateful that he decided to be a lazy ass that day, and took the short path to his locker, which meant passing by the bathroom and hearing the sounds coming from the inside.</p>
            </blockquote>





	when i see you smile, i can face the world

**Author's Note:**

> Old prompt I filled on tumblr.

Clint doesn’t see the kid, as much as he hears him. At first, he thinks the sounds come from some losers fucking in one of the bathroom stalls, probably high as a knight and with their hormones running a marathon all over the place. Clint realizes then, that what he really, really wants, is to avoid having to go anywhere closer, though he doesn’t have much of a choice. The bathroom is right in the middle of his path toward his locker, and there’s no way in hell Clint’s going all the way over to the English building, just so he can enter through the backdoor and avoid hearing some mutts having sex. He might need his bike keys to get home, but he doesn’t need them that much if they involve walking all the way around his school.

Later – much, much later – Clint will be eternally grateful that he decided to be a lazy ass that day, and took the short path to his locker, which meant passing by the bathroom and hearing the sounds coming from the inside.

From far away, they might sound like sex, but once anyone stands close enough, they’ll be able to determine that those aren’t dirty moans. They’re broken sobbing. Relentless and muffled, an obvious cry of pain and misery.

Clint has half a mind to just keep walking, if he doesn’t get involved with people, people don’t get involved with him and he’s able to live his quiet life alone. It’s not like Clint hates people, it’s just that people are sick, bad, hateful, and they always hate him.

But Clint isn’t a bad guy, and he doesn’t turn away from people in pain, especially knowing what kind of pieces of shit go to his school. They’re big, they’re mean, and they’re fucking everywhere. They beat whoever they can, whenever they can, for whatever those people might have. They mock and ridicule, they pretend they’re the bosses when deep down, everyone with a brain knows they’re nothing but ugly bags of garbage. They’d tried to go after Clint when he enrolled in the middle of the second semester - weird kid with shaggy hairstyle and no friends? He probably looked like a dream come true for those damned beasts. But Clint can defend himself, can throw a rock at someone’s eye and blind them with merciless precision. Not that he’d done that, he’s not crazy. He’d done just enough for them to realize he wasn’t some to fuck with, and then left him alone.

Clint just wished this worked for everyone, but it’s obvious as he enters the smelly bathroom, it doesn’t.

The kid is hunched over the sinks, tiny and thin as a matchstick, his clothes hang too lose, probably three sizes above, and his hair is practically a rat’s nest. His glasses are also way too big for his head, and he has blood trailing down his face from multiple cuts that he’s desperately trying to wash and clean with some toilet paper, although it’s no use. Clint isn’t even close to him yet, and he can already see the cuts are deep, real deep, and most of them probably need stitching. No amounts of water and paper are going to do them any good.

Regardless, the kid, who hasn’t even noticed Clint yet, is most likely drowning in a mix of fear, shame and pain right now, and going to the hospital isn’t going to help. “Here, let me.” Clint says, and kid finally notices him, instantly turning around, eyes open in dread and arms already raised to protect himself.

“Don’t worry kid; I’m not like those pigs. I’m not gonna beat you up.” The kid doesn’t seem to believe him, but it’s not like Clint cares. He steps further and takes the all the paper toilet that he can clutch into his hand, with another hand he makes the kid sit on the sink and then he begins working.

The kid doesn’t stop him, just watches as Clint meticulously cleans each and every one of his wounds. And yet, Clint knows the kid still doesn’t trust him. His body is tense and his knuckles are white from where he’s grabbing the sink, there are huge bags beneath his eyes and Clint can tell, the kid’s hella tired, but most of all, he’s given up fighting.

“I’m Clint, by the way. What’s your name?”

“Bruce, Bruce Banner.” The name flash in front of Clint’s eyes, and it only takes him a couple of seconds to remember where he first heard it. On the Honor Board, won the science fair two years in a row, complete fucking genius. No wonder he got beat up like he did, kid was probably the tastiest, most wonderful snack in the world to bullies.

It pains Clint to know that come tomorrow, Bruce is most likely going to get beat up as much as he did today, maybe even worse. Clint might pull an ‘I-give-no-fucks-and-have-no-friends’ act in front of everyone he knows, but that’s all it is – an act.

“Alright Bruce, tomorrow you’re sitting with me during lunch.” Bruce just stares at him, mouth slightly agape. He looks like he’s having the hardest time processing what Clint just said.

“What?”

“You, me, tomorrow, lunch.” Clint says again, and then grins cheekily because he simply can’t help himself. “It’s a date.”

The thing is, Clint doesn’t notice it then, doesn’t notice it for many months to come, but that was the best decision he ever made.


End file.
